O Be Careful Little Hearts Whom You Trust
by Flower8Child
Summary: "In Chinese mythology the White Tiger guards the West on the cardinal point." I hear Deaton explain to Scott, Liam, Stiles and Theo. "So, she protects the West?" Scott asks, confused. "The afterlife." Deaton realizes aloud. "The cardinal direction of the West represents the afterlife." "She's not taking the bodies." Theo states. "She's guarding them wherever they're being taken."
1. Intro

_**This story is a rewrite of a story I started a couple years ago with an OC named Louise, who was a year younger than Liam and was his adopted sister and a wereleopard. **_

_**I've decided to completely rewrite the story (I had 14 chapters and counting in my last one) and make some changes. **_

_**Santana is Liam's adopted sister still, but is his age. **_

_**She's no longer a wereleopard but a weretiger (derived from a white Bengal, in particular, for reasons to be explained in the story) and she's not aware of what she is, yet. **_

_**I have to give a warning for Santana's relationship she has with Donovan: various flashbacks will appear throughout the first several chapters that are centered around Santana's and Donovan's former and very toxic dynamic. I'll post warnings for the chapters that show severe physical/emotional abuse, just thought I'd give you all a heads up that it's in here. **_

_**Last but not least, this book will contain explicit language, violence and sexual situations. Again, warnings for these things will be posted at the top of every chapter. **_

_**I DO NOT OWN TEEN WOLF OR THE CHARACTERS...I simply think Theo should've had someone the way the others did, but I can understand why that wasn't cannon. **_

_**Comments and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome and appreciated. **_

_**I hope you enjoy. **_


	2. Santana - Children of The Night

_** Santana | Children of The Night**_

**Warnings: Explicit Language, Abuse**

"Looks a lot cleaner than when we started this summer, Ladies." Coach Lynotee tells us in regards to our routine we've been working on, as we cool off, my mouth downing half of my Gatorade as sweat rolls down my back. "Being this is the last practice of the summer, and school begins tomorrow, I'm giving you the next two days off, and then we'll get started again on Wednesday. Four o'clock to Six o'clock. Don't forget." She tells us. "Alright, hands in," We all gather and put our hands on top of each other on top of her's. "One, two, three..."

"...Cyclones!" We all shout with her.

"You're dismissed, rest up and have a good first day tomorrow." She tells us and I step to the wall of the gym and grab my cheer bag, finding Rhiannon a few feet down once I've got my stuff together.

"Work our asses off seven days a week, all summer just to get two days off?" She mumbles, wiping her forehead, taking her braids down from their ponytail before redoing it.

"Just enjoy the two free afternoons we get."

"I know you will because you'll be getting laid." She shoots at me, rolling her eyes and I cut my eyes at her.

"Will not."

We push the doors of the gym open, stepping in to the humid air outside.

"Will too." She argues. "You haven't seen him for almost two weeks. You're gonna be pulling out the special moves." She teases. "Even though he's batshit crazy."

"Will you shut it?!" I whisper yell.

"Not saying I'm surprised, though. The crazy ones are always good."

"I am done with you." I hold back a chuckle. "I am with him because I love him despite his imperfections."

"And have since you were fourteen, I know, I know." She waves her hand and I look at her. "Just saying."

"Is Mason coming to pick you up?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"No, mom is." She tells me.

I see Donovan's car, a mixture of happiness and anxiousness filling my body.

"Well, my ride's here, so...I'll text you." I assure her and she nods.

"Alright, see you bright and early!" She calls after me as I run across the parking lot.

Donovan gets out of his car, smiling as I approach him.

My legs snake around his waist, my arms around his neck, and my lips go to his the second I get to him.

It's been a long week without seeing him.

"I have missed you." I tell him.

"You need a shower, babe." He comments and I get down from him and push him a little, playfully.

"I'm getting one when I get home." I chuckle. "And if you're nice, I might just let you come with me."

His brows shoot up as an amused expression creeps on to his face.

"Get in the car." He tells me and I laugh as he urgently climbs in, eager to get back to my house.

When we get back to my house, we're practically racing to the front door, his lips on my neck as I try to unlock the door.

I giggle, his lips tickling across my skin, and I finally get the door unlocked...

Except I didn't get the door unlocked, Liam just opened it.

"Liam?!" I ask, panic in my voice.

"Ana? I thought you were going home with Rhiannon." He says, his confused eyes falling on Donovan who's peeking from behind me.

"Change of plans." Donovan states to him before I can say anything.

Liam just raises his brows, scoffing at the fact Donovan has the nerve to say that to him.

"So, if you'll excuse us..." He adds smartly.

"Oh, no." I mumble to myself, hearing Liam give off a very faint growl in the back of his throat that I don't even think Donovan hears.

**/ 1 /**

"Okay, you can let go now." I state to Liam as he keeps a steel grip on my arm as we walk to Stiles' Jeep. "Liam." I hiss, struggling against him. "Knock it off, you're hurting me!" I demand and he lets me go, turning to me with flared nostrils.

"You're lucky I didn't kick his ass, Santana!" He argues with me and I cross my arms. "When did you two get back together? I thought mom and dad said-"

"-What mom and dad don't know won't hurt them. Unless you tell them I'm seeing him again." I cut him short and he rolls his jaw.

"No." He shakes his head, raising his brows. "I'm not telling them you're back with him because you're not."

"Oh, I'm not?"

"No. You aren't. You're gonna tell him you can't see him anymore, and _mean_ it, or I'm telling Mom and Dad."

"You can't be serious." I laugh sarcastically, tears of anger beginning to swell in my eyes.

"Oh, I am." He snaps, his eyes glowing amber.

"That's it, isn't it? You think all because you're a fucking werewolf you can intimidate me and tell me what I can and can't do all because you have the power to hurt people now?"

"He pushed you down a flight of stairs, Ana. You broke a rib, and had a severely bruised kidney, all because you were still friends with Stiles." He points out.

"Because he doesn't like Stiles." I argue.

"So that means he can throw you down twelve stairs?!" He asks, genuinely concerned by my thought process and I sigh out. "I refuse to get another call from Melissa telling me my sister is laid up in the hospital in bad shape because her batshit crazy boyfriend hurt her."

Before I can reply, someone's clearing their throat.

I look past Liam to see Scott and Stiles, my eyes rolling irritatedly.

"I'm not talking about this anymore." I tell them sternly, stomping to the car and climbing into the back seat.

"I get it, alright? You hate me right now but I wouldn't be a good brother if I just let you do whatever you wanted while mom and dad are out of the loop." Liam tells me when they get inside the car and I just keep looking out the window.

"You aren't even my brother." I say under my breath and a venomous tension fills the air.

"What did you just say?" Liam questions in a hurt tone as Scott and Stiles get back inside.

"I said, 'you aren't even my brother'." I repeat harshly, glaring at him.

"Oh, so just because I'm not your blood brother I'm not your brother?" There's obvious hurt in his voice but I ignore it.

"Did I stutter?"

"Hey!" Stiles cuts in. "Will you two just calm down?"

Liam and I side eye one another before letting out heavy breaths.

"Fine." He mumbles.

"Whatever." I follow, continuing to look out the window.

"We're dropping you guys off at the hospital, right?" Scott asks my brother to double check, and he nods.

"We gotta be quick then or we're gonna be late." Stiles says a little under his breath but Liam catches it like I do.

"Late for what?" My brother questions and Stiles exhales.

"Nothing."

I don't bother pressing for answers because I know they won't give us any, but that doesn't stop my brother.

"Is it a party?" Liam asks Stiles and Scott, as we go down the road.

I subconsciously perk up at the word.

"Don't say the 'p' word around your sister. And no, it's not a par-" Stiles replies stops himself, glancing at me in the rear view mirror before flickering his eyes back in front of him. "P-A-R-T-Y." He spells out instead of saying it.

"I C-A-N S-P-E-L-L." I tell him, unamused and he cuts his eyes at me in the mirror for a moment.

"Then what's at midnight?" Liam keeps on.

"Your bedtime." Stiles states.

"Why aren't the girls going?" My brother refuses to give up.

"They're meeting us there, Okay? And just stop asking questions, all right? It's a senior thing. You'll know when you're a senior." Stiles explains.

There's a pause of silence between us, and Scott let's out a tiny sigh.

"You guys having trouble with your phone?" Scott asks us, and I furrow my brows, grabbing the phone from my pocket to check it, just as the engine of Stile's Jeep starts sputtering.

"What the hell?" Stiles says to himself as we start slowing down, the headlights on the car flickering before blacking out.

"You out of gas?" Liam asks him, and he shakes his head.

"No, it's electrical." He tells us, frustrated. "Probably the alternator again."

He and Scott get out to check under the hood and I let out a breath, closing my eyes for a moment.

"I don't wanna fight with you over this, Ana. I really don't. I just wish you'd trust me."

"I know what I'm doing, Liam. I know what he did, and I know why. But he's changed. Why can't you just trust that?" I ask quietly and he looks at me with confliction.

"Do you know how many times he's broken your heart? It's hard to accept someone you've seen drain the light out of someone you care about. Yeah, you're happy now...but what happens when he loses his temper again? Or takes his bad day out on you?"

I don't reply because I know he's right.

"I know he tells you he loves you, but he just loves the control he has over you, and how easy you make it for him." He adds.

I just nod a little and lick my lips.

"Just let it go, please." I rasp out, refusing to cry despite my voice shaking with tears.

He doesn't say anything else, just breathing out and leaving it alone.

{_Flash Back}_

"What do you wanna do for dinner?" Donovan asks as I continue to scribble down math formulas from the sheet Lydia made out for me since she's tutoring me in Algebra III.

I just look up at him from my work, seeing him laying beside me on my bed, his brow raised.

"I'm not sure. Gimme a few minutes to get done with this." I tell him politely, going back to the equation I'm stumped on.

"Santana, your folks are gonna be home soon and I'm gonna have to go. Can't this wait?"

"Can't _this_ wait?" I ask, motioning between us, raising my brows, and he rolls his jaw. "Babe, I've put this assignment off the past two days to hangout with you. Just give me fifteen more minutes and we can get something to eat then, alright?"

"You're being difficult." He complains and my phone buzzes.

I ignore his comment and glance at the screen to see Stiles' name.

Stiles: _Any plans tonight? _

Santana: _Study, sex, sleep_

I reply back, whatever Donovan's saying becomes background noise.

Stiles: _Ew_

Santana: _Don't ask if you don't want the truth_

Stiles: _Do you have practice tomorrow?_

Santana: _Yep. 9:00-3:00_

Stiles: _Lynotee's cracking the whip _

Satana: _And beating us like ugly step children_

Stiles: _Well, when you get done tomorrow, I wanna hang out if you're parents don't care_

"Ana!" Donovan's yelling has me jumping a little and I look at him. "Who're you talking to?" He asks me and I come up with a lie.

"Malia. She was asking if I've got cheer practice tomorrow." I tell him and he gives me an odd look but nods. "Hey, I'm kinda thinking cheese burgers, if that's okay with you."

"Anything's fine with me, I'm just hungry." He shrugs, getting off the bed.

"Alright, lemme go use the bathroom and I'll be back." I tell him, getting up and walking to me bathroom, forgetting my phone on my bed.

By the time I get done and wash my hands, I open my door and step to my bed to grab my phone. When it's not there, I furrow my brows and look at Donovan, who's on his own phone. Except it isn't his phone he's scrolling through, it's mine.

"Donovan, what're you doing with my phone?" I step to him, reaching for it but he snatches away before I can.

"Thought you were talking to Malia?" He asks me and I feel my heart stop.

"Donovan, give me the phone." I hold my hand out.

"Stiles? You're still friends with him? Because last thing I was told by you, you two don't even speak to each other anymore."

"Give. Me. My. Phone." I demand, taking a step closer to him.

"So you can text him back and lie to my face about it?"

"Donovan."

"What else have you lied to me about? You're still friends, you still hangout apparently..." He starts, looking at my phone then back to me. "...You fucked him, yet?"

Disgust settles in my gut at what he's accusing me off.

"W-What?"

"Have you fucked Stiles? I mean, you obviously have no issue lying to me about him already."

"He's like my brother, Donovan. And he's with Malia, and I'm with you. And if you think I'd ever cheat on you then you've learned nothing about me the past two years we've been together." I argue, trying not to cry.

"I learned you don't mind lying to me." He scoffs, licking his lips, walking closer to me with a scary look in his eyes, but I stand my ground, glaring at him.

"I lied because he's a close friend and has been for a year and it's not right for you to dictate who I talk to and who I don't talk to." I state. "Now give me back my fucking phone."

His brown eyes cut at me, and he grows closer and closer, looking down at me before throwing my phone at the wall, and it shatters.

"Donov-" I'm cut off when he grabs my wrists sharply, squeezing at them, and when I go to recoil them away from him he doesn't let go, shaking me angrily.

"Don't fucking lie to me!" He barks, a wild look in his eyes that scare me. "You fucking sneaky bitch!"

"I'm not lying to y—" His hand pops me in the face.

Not hard enough to bruise, but it stings with warmth, and he covers my mouth with his hand as tears topple over my lashes.

"You've been lying to me for the past two months, Ana. Don't even tell me you haven't." He says through clenched teeth and I hold back a sob, my eyes looking in to his. His face suddenly softens, and he slowly takes his hand from my mouth and wipes at my tears, gently. "I'm sorry." He admits, running his fingers through the underside of my hair. "I'm sorry that you've made me do this." His face hardens again before he's grabbing my hair at the root, causing me to cry out as he drags me out of my room to the top of the wooden stair case.

"Wait, Donovan, wait, I'm sorry!" I plead, my hands trying to grasp his shirt to keep myself from falling. "Baby, please, I'm sorry, I'm—"

"I know you are, Ana. But you've got to learn that a relationship is based on trust, and if we don't have that, we don't have us."

I'm suddenly hitting my rib cage on the corner of the third step from the top, a crack sizzling through the air as excrutiating pain radiates through my chest before I'm coming off the ground and landing four steps down on my back, rolling down five more steps before landing on the floor.

{_Present_}

"Santana?" Liam asks me lowly, shaking me a little and I snap out of my trance and look at him.

"Yeah?" I raise my brows, blinking.

"You alright?"

"Uh, yeah...yeah." I nod, rubbing my lips together. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Did you see that lightening?" He asks next and I furrow my brows.

"What lightening?"

Lightening suddenly strikes infront of Scott and Stiles where they have the hood of the Jeep up, making Liam and I nearly jump out of our skin before Liam's reaching forward, turning the key and starting the car.

"That was close." Scott says.

"Very close." Stiles adds.

"Can we go now?" Liam asks them, leaning out of the window.

They let the hood down and get back inside.

**/ 1 /**

"We're getting Malia?" I ask as we park, raising a brow and wondering where she's going to sit in the back.

"Just squeeze in the middle, Ana." Stiles tells me and I shrug.

"Sorry we're late." Stiles says to her dad as she excitedly hurries to the driver's side window. "Hey," He smiles before she kisses him.

When they pull away, Liam smirks and leans forward between Scott and Stiles, looking at Malia suggestively.

"I'm sorry, too." He tells her dopily and I roll my eyes.

"You boys do know I own a gun, right?" Her dad reminds them.

"Vividly." Stiles replies.

Her dad just glances at her and winks before walking back to his car.

By the time Malia gets settled with us in the back seat, me being between her and Liam, Stiles and Scott turn back to face her.

"What?" She asks them.

"You find out yet?" Stiles questions her.

"Find out what?" Liam cuts in.

"They're gonna email me." She assures her boyfriend.

"Is this about summer school?" Liam adds and she looks pointedly at Scott and Stiles.

"You told him?"

"Um, well..." Stiles starts.

"All he said was you had to take summer school because the principal said your test scores weren't good enough and you might have to repeat junior year." He explains.

"In all fairness, no one really had to say anything about you going to summer school. It was kinda common sense you'd have to since you've spent a majority of your life as a Coyote. In the woods. With no education." I point out and she leans back and sighs, frustratedly.

Scott and Stiles look at each other.

"We should've left him chained to the tree." Stiles states.

"You chained my brother to a tree?" I say accusingly, a sharp tone in my voice as an odd wave of protectiveness shines through and Scott looks at me weird for a moment.

"We needed to, Ana." He replies cautiously.

"My control, remember?" Liam reminds me and I exhale and calm down.

"Right." I mumble, avoiding Malia's lingering stare on me, and Scott and Stiles glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

Once we get to the hospital and Liam finds out where dad is from Scott's mom, he's coming towards me.

"Dad's gonna be in surgery for a while." Liam says, exhaling as he plops into a waiting room chair beside me. "Scott wants us to wait here." He adds and I scoff with closed eyes.

"You gonna sit and roll over when he commands, too?" I ask, feeling his eyes on me.

"Are you always gonna ask 'how high?' anytime Donovan tells you to jump?" He argues defensively and I look at him.

"He's my boyfriend."

"Scott's my alpha."

"I'll kick your ass." I threaten him.

"I'll tell mom and dad about Donovan." He shoots back.

"No, you won't." I state and he gets quiet.

"No, I won't." He agrees. "But I _could_."

"And we _could_ go to the high school." I suggest with a shrug.

"But Scott said—"

"I'm going. In or out?" I ask, grabbing my bag.

"In." He says after a minute of thinking.

**/ 1 / **

"I didn't think this through." I admit by the time we're a block away from the school after twenty minutes of walking in heavy rain.

"Oh, wow, you admitting I was right is a first." He pipes out and I cut my eyes at him.

"Not admitting you're right, just admitting there was a flaw in my plan." I counter.

"Shh." He stops suddenly, holding his arm out so I stop with him.

"Seriously, I said I made a mistake and that's not good enough for you, eith—"

"Shh." He puts his hand over my mouth. "You hear that?" He asks in a whisper after a second.

"No, what?" I whisper back.

"It's Scott. He's in trouble." He tells me, thinking of what to do.

Suddenly a loud roar cuts through to my ears and I raise my brows at my brother as his face pales.

"Go back to the hospital." He orders me. "I gotta find Scott."

"I'm going with you." I argue, watching him check on his phone to see if he's missed anything from Scott, only to find it's still not working properly.

"And doing what? Stand there and be pretty? That's about all you do because people like you..." He stops abruptly, realizing what he's saying is coming out all wrong. "I didn't mean it like that, Santana." He assures me softly, my hurt expression unable to be hidden.

"No, I get it. That's my supernatural ability. Stand there and watch from the sidelines looking pretty." I agree sarcastically.

"Ana—" He's cut short by another loud roar. "Just get back to the hospital, alright?"

His eyes glow yellow before he's running towards the direction Scott's in.

I turn my back and start back to the hospital, hearing two more roars.

I stop in my tracks, and ignore my brother's orders, making my way down the path he ran off in.


	3. Santana - Parasomnia

_**Santana | Parasomnia**_

* * *

**_Warning: Explicit Language_**

* * *

"He what?" I ask Rhiannon as she shuts her locker door.

"Breaking and entering and he had a loaded .38." She repeats. "You really haven't heard?"

"He doesn't even own a gun." I furrow my brows.

"Well, maybe he stole it." She shrugs.

"Donovan doesn't steal." I argue.

"Then why was he breaking and entering?" She points out and I think for a moment, glancing at the doors that lead outside and she catches on, laughing manically and holding my hand in a tight grip before stopping her laughter abruptly.

"Maybe I need to go check on him." I suggest before she can speak.

"Maybe you need to speak to a psychiatrist about why your Broken Bird syndrome is so chronic." She states.

"But—"

"It's the first day of school, Ana. You're not cutting class and missing valuable education time for a boy who acts like a child. We do not do that." She tells me strictly and I give her my puppy dog eyes. "I'm immune at this point. Get your ass to Statistics." She orders, pointing her finger in the direction of my math class.

"Fine." I groan out, irritated.

"You'll thank me when you get your diploma." She calls to me and I wave her off, stepping in to the class room, seeing a few seats left next to a majority of kids I already don't like, and one guy I've never seen before.

I decide to take my chances with the one I've never seen before and sit beside him just as the bell rings.

He looks up from his notebook the second I sit beside him, and I catch myself from looking too long to avoid giving him the wrong idea.

"Santana?" He asks me and I look at him with a raised brow.

"What?"

"That's your name, right? I heard Scott talking to you last night." He tells me and it all hits me.

I have seen him before, briefly, last night.

"Yeah." I nod, squinting my eyes a little to help myself think. "You're..."

"Theo." He introduces himself.

"Oh, yeah...yeah, sorry, I didn't recognize you sooner." I apologize.

"No, it's fine." He assures me.

"Why're you in Statistics and not Pre-Cal with most of the other seniors?" I ask him and before he can answer, Lynotee is shutting the classroom door and starting in.

"Good morning, class. I hope you've all had a really good Summer vacation." She says, writing her name and the subject on the board. "My name is Coach or Mrs. Lynotee and this is AP Statistics."

My blood runs cold the second she says 'AP'.

"Fuck." I whisper to myself and Theo grins a little.

"I'm pleasantly suprised to see a lot of you here." She looks at me with a proud smile. "I just hope you can keep up. I've printed off Syllabi and put them on my desk, I'm not going to force you to read it or even grab one but I'll know who to expect to drop this class based on who takes one and who doesn't."

I take a second glance at my schedule and see the once invisible "AP" before "Statistics."

"Today I will have you guys do an assignment, and I hope you like the person sitting next to you because this person is your permanent partner for the rest of the year for any partner work that is assigned." She informs us, passing out the worksheet. "And I will know who's the brain of the team and who is just very good at copying down the brain's answers." She adds.

Theo and I get a copy of the assignment and he centers it between us so I can look at is as well and I shake my head.

"If I look, I'll cry." I mumble to him, seeing questions I already know I don't know the answer to, down the page, from the corner of my eye and he chuckles.

"This is due Wednesday, and we won't have time to work on it in class after today so you will need to meet with your work buddy on your own time." Lynotee continues. "Also, I do not accept late work. All assignments are due two days after they are assigned. Projects are due one week after they are assigned and any extra credit is due one day after assigned. Got it?"

"Yeah." A majority of the class says and she adds several more points to her introduction before being interrupted by the bell.

"Alright, it's due Wednesday. Have a good first day and email me if you have any questions." She tells us as we file our of the room.

Once Theo and I are out, I see Stiles and Malia standing at his locker, talking, but before I can go to them Theo grabs gently at my arm.

"So, when and where are we working on this?" He asks, waving the sheet.

"Oh, uhh..." I think for a moment before grabbing a pen. "Text me after school, with your address and we can work on it there, alright?"

"Your parents won't care if you come over?" He asks me, examining the number on his hand and I shrug.

"They're usually not home to know what I'm doing anyway, so..." I tell him.

He looks at Stiles past my shoulder, and clears his throat.

"You know what? I can just give you a ride to my house, if you want." He offers. "It'll save us both some time."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, just let me know where you parked and I'll see you after school." I accept his offer.

"Alright, I'll text you." He replies.

"Okay, see you later."

He gives a single wave with a smile and turns and walks away.

"The hell are you doing?" Stiles' voice is behind me and I turn to face him.

"What?"

"Theo? What was that with Theo?" He asks me and I furrow my brows.

"Stiles you sound like a crack head."

"You two can't hangout." He tells me.

"Why not?"

"Because I haven't caught him yet."

"Caught him doing what?"

"I don't know yet but when I do it'll prove why you can't hang around him." He explains and I let out a breath.

"You're being a little paranoid." Malia says, agreeing with me.

"I'm not being paranoid, I just know what happens when we're too trusting of people we don't know. And you," He points at me, "are too good at trusting the wrong people just because you're attracted to them."

"I'm not that attracted to him." I argue and he looks at Malia.

"She's telling the truth." She tells him casually.

"I'm with Donovan, remember?"

"Thought you broke things off?" Stiles asks.

I just ignore him and head to my second class of the day.

**/ 2 /**

"Why did they put you in AP Statistics when you barely passed Algebra last year?" Kira asks me quietly after looking over my schedule.

Malia glances over my shoulder at it and Scott just looks up from his Biology assignment to look at me.

"Maybe they saw untapped potential." He suggests. "You're smart enough to ace the class, Ana. You just have to try hard." He assures me and I exhale.

As a piece of paper slides im front of us on the table in the Library. We just look up to see Stiles.

"So you found something?" Scott asks him, and I furrow my brows, not knowing what they're talking about.

"Another signature." Stiles tells him, and all I see is the last name "Raeken" and roll my eyes.

"Theo's Dad's signature. This is his dad's signature on a speeding ticket from eight years ago." He points to a scribbled name. "And this is his signature on a transfer form to Beacon Hills High School just a few days ago."

"How the hell did you get his transfer form?" I ask him sharply.

"Did you break in to the administration office?" Scott questions him.

"No, I did not break in to the administration office." He states and we all just stare at him. "Okay I might've broken in to the administration office but can we just focus on the signatures  
...please?" He motions to the papers before us. "They're different."

We look at them, and I personally can't tell much of a difference.

"They're sort of different." Malia tries to tell him to make him feel better.

"If you're a paranoid crackhead in the middle of psychosis." I scoff out.

"They're completely different, guys, c'mon." Stiles tries to tell us. "The Garlands don't match, the undulations of the sinuous stroke are totally off, and look at this," He circles a something in the name with his finger, "perfect example of the criminal tremor."

"So...now Theo's, Theo...but his parents aren't his parents?" Kira asks, just as confused as the rest of us.

"Someone's not someone. And when I figure out who that someone is, someone is in big trouble."

"But no one's done anything wrong." Scott points out.

"Yet!" Stiles states. "If Theo's parents are both psychotic killers, obviously we should not trust him, right?"

"My parents are Peter and The Desert Wolf." Malia reminds him.

"Okay." Stiles sighs out and rubs his forehead. "No, it's fine, I'll just figure this out myself. I don't need you," He motions to Scott, "or you," He motions to Kira, "or you," and Malia, "and especially not Little Miss She-Demon." Then me. "I don't need anyone!" He calls on his way out.

Scott, Kira, and Malia all turn their attention to me and I shrug.

"Crack is wack." I say blankly, going back to looking at my schedule.

**/ 2 /**

"Sorry some things are outta place, we haven't finished unpacking." Theo apologizes, shutting the front door behind me.

I look around, not able to help my admiration for the hardwood floors, stone fireplace, spiraling staircase, and evidence through the foyer of a nice kitchen.

"Where's your parents?" I ask, waiting for him to lead me to whatever part of the house we're studying in.

"Both at work." He tells me, putting his keys on the table. "So we've got the place to ourselves."

I raise a brow and he looks at me pointedly.

"Not like that." He assures me, shaking his head. "Unless...?"

"Shut up." I chuckle, shoving at his shoulder and he grins.

"We can work in my room." He nods to the stairs and I follow him to them, my eyes locking on the floor right at the bottom step.

{_Flash Back_}

"She has a pulse, but she's struggling to breathe." I hear someone I don't recognize say.

"Alright, let's get her on a gurny." Another adds, and I feel myself being lifted up and laid down on soft padding.

"I-Is she alright?" Donovan asks, and my eyes struggle to open, but fail to.

"We'll have to take her in and see. You said she fell?"

"Yeah. I was in the kitchen and heard a loud noise and came out and she was on the floor." One the paramedics tell him just as I black out again.

{_Present_}

"You okay?" Theo's voice is snapping me out of the memory out of the memory and I nod.

"Yeah." I assure him, catching up to him a few steps ahead of me.

When we get to the top, a hallway that only holds two doors awaits us, and he points to the door at the end of the hall.

"Bathroom." He tells me and I nod. "And my room." He opens the door closest to the stairs and I expect a typical guy's room littered with clothes on the floor and a couple pieces of trash, but it's abnormally clean.

Full sized bed right next to a window, chest of drawers on the other side of his bed, fluffy white carpet, a TV across from his bed, an X-Box connected to it, and a few video games beside it.

He just sits on his bed and puts his bookbag on the floor, sifting through it to find the assignment first.

I just stand by the door, glancing around, rooted in place.

He notices my hesitation and furrows his brow a little.

"Santana, c'mon, I'm not gonna bite." He nods beside himself on the bed, getting a couple pencils from his bag. "If you don't ask me to, I won't." He corrects himself and I roll my eyes and sit beside him, brushing my hair out of my face as he grabs a textbook so the paper has something hard to rest on when we go to write our answers.

"Why're you in AP Statistics?" He asks me suddenly.

"There was a major miscommunication when I was speaking to my counselor about scheduling." I explain and he scoffs a little, keeping that arrogant smile on. "So, how was your first day at Beacon Hills?"

"Good, aside from being interrogated by Stiles." He replies honestly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about him, he's not very trusting of new people that want to be in our friend group." I inform him and he furrows his brows a second.

"Why not?"

"I don't know all the details but there's been some really big betrayals that have occured more than once anytime a supernatural being comes here and associates with Scott. Stiles just expects strangers to betray them."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I wouldn't take it personally." I add, nudging him a little.

"I'm not." He shakes his head, handing me a pencil.

**/ 2 /**

"C'mon, Santana, I'm not helping you outta this one." He encourages me, his eyes crinkling at the sides because of how hard he's smiling. "Which of the following situations involve sample proportions?" He repeats the question. "I. Sample 100 subjects and record their weights, II. Sample 100 subjects and ask if they approve of the current president, or, III. Sample 100 people and ask if they owm at least one pet?"

I think for a second, staring at the ceiling while laying back on the mattress while he sits up against the head board.

Just as I'm about to answer, my phone rings and I exhale.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Ana?" Donovan's voice says on the other end.

"Donovan?" I ask, furrowing my brows.

"So, I'm in a predicament." He tells me.

"Rhiannon told me." I say to him.

"Told you what?"

"Breaking and entering with a loaded gun."

He sighs heavily and there'a silence for a moment.

"It wasn't my gun, baby, you know that." He pleads and I look at Theo, who's definitely listening to our conversation even though he's pretending to be busy working out another math problem. "I'm at the station trying to convince Stilinski to let me go. Maybe you can help me out...you know, since you're friends with Stiles...please?" He asks, sounding panicked just a little and I let out a breath.

"Donovan—"

"Please, Ana." He begs. "Please? They're gonna give me jail time."

"Okay, babe, just give me a few minutes to get down there and don't—I mean do not—start anything with anyone down there. I'll talk to Stilinski." I promise him.

"Thank you. I love you." He tells me in a relieved voice and the line is silent for a moment. "Hello?" He asks.

"I love you, too." I finally reply, trying to hide the shaking in my voice as bile coats my throat.

"You okay?" Theo asks when I hang up and I lick my lips.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am." I assure him, sniffling. "I know this is a huge favor to ask, and you don't know me that well, but—"

"—Consider it done." He cuts me short, his dead serious tone catching me off guard.

I don't even have to tell him, he just gets off the bed and pulls his shoes on, while I do the same.

We get down the stairs and he grabs his keys and we head out.

I open the door of the car and climb in, letting out a breath.

"Shit, bail money." I mumble, a huge roadblock in my plan.

"I got it if needed." He tells me and I'm at a loss for words. "I wanna be in Scott's pack. Even though you aren't supernatural, you're a part of his pack." He explains. "It's one of my jobs to take care of you, right?"

I just nod.

After a few minutes on the road, I'm fumbling with my hands to distract myself and he glances over, notices, then starts talking.

"So, when did you find out about Liam and Scott?" He asks me and I look at him.

"Couple weeks before summer break. My brother got tired of hiding it from me." I reply. "We can't go very long hiding something from the other." I add.

"You guys are twins, right?"

"You know I'm not even related to him?" I hold back a chuckle and he grins.

"I noticed the difference in ethnicities but decided not to point it out incase you didn't know you were." He informs me and I laugh.

"He's still my brother, regardless of what genetics say." I say after my laughter subsides. "I said a really mean thing to him last night, though, and I think it really got to him."

"What'd you say?"

"We were arguing over Donovan, he doesn't want me to be with him anymore, and he told me he wouldn't be a good brother if he didn't look out for me. I just told him he's not even technically my brother."

"Ouch." He looks at me after stopping at a red light.

"I was hurting and confused and just wanted to hurt him back, I guess. But I didn't mean it. He knows I didn't."

"Well, he's got a point about Donovan, you know?" He tells me and I don't reply. "It's not my place, and maybe it's not even your brother's place, but I heard the way your heart nearly bursted when you were talking to him on the phone."

"What can I say? Even two years later he still makes me nervous." I defensively cut at him with sharpness to my tone.

He was right. It's not his place.

"That wasn't nerves. It was fear." He tells me matter of facr. "I don't even think you realize how affraid of him you are."

"I'm not affraid of him." I argue, demanding silence with the way the words roll off my tongue in a hiss.

He glances at me from the corner of his eye and scoffs.

"You were walking on eggshells a second ago. And he wasn't even there, it was just over the phone." He keeps pushing. "Do you even want to go bail him out, honestly? Because if I were you, I'd be thankful he couldn't get to me from behind bars. I'd feel freed of a burden."

"Well, you're not me, Theo. You don't get to know me for all of twelve hours and then suddenly know what is isn't good for me. You don't know me, you don't know Donovan, you don't know shit. So just drop it." I snap without a second thought.

I notice we're not anywhere near the police station, and we're not getting any closer by the time we stop on the outskirt of some woods.

"Where are we going?" I ask him, looking around and he sighs out.

"Taking a detour." He unbuckles and opens the door.

"In to the woods?"

"Not very far." He assures me.

"You're practically a stranger. I'm not following you anywhere in there." I nod to the treeline.

"Why would I hurt you if I'm trying to prove to Stiles that I'm not a threat?" He asks and I think for a moment.

"Fine." I exhale, opening my door and sliding out, meeting him at the trunk.

He just grabs a bushel of white flowers that are tucked neatly into brown paper and we walk closely together as he leads us wherever he's wanting to go.

"Why're we out here?" I ask him after a few moments of walking.

"I'll show you, we're almost there." He tells me and I nod.

Within a few moments we're stepping onto a small bridge that reaches over creek with water streaming below.

Without a word, he's tossing the flower into the water below and looking like he's paying homage to something quietly.

I wait patiently for him to explain, and after another moment of silence he looks at me.

"I try to come at least once a month." He tells me. "My sister died down there."

I look at the water, then back up at him, crossing my arms as the weather starts to chill down.

"She fell and broke her leg...then the hypothermia settled in..."

I don't know how to react, I just give him an apologetic look.

"I'm really sorry."

"We bickered like you and Liam, it's normal for brothers and sisters to do but just be nicer to him. He's just looking out for you." He tells me calmly.

"I'm not an idiot. I know what Donovan's done. But I like to think people change." I say to counter his point, stepping to the railing of the bridge opposite of where he' standing. "I don't need anyone to look out for me."

"You can take care of yourself, right?" He asks smartly, scoffing.

"Yes. I can."

He takes a step closer, then another, looking down at me.

"Well, guess it's a shitty time to tell you I'm not taking you to see Donovan, for your own good." He says, brushing my hair back and I take a labored breath, his fingertips brushing against my forehead for a few seconds.

"I figured so." I reply lowly, trying to calm my racing heart.

Just as I think he's about to get closer, the hazy trance I'm in from him being so close to me, is broken, because my brother and Stiles' hushed voices are well heard a few yards away from us.

"Oh, my God." I groan quietly, huffing out a breath.

"Why're they here?" He turns to look at me for a second and I shrug.

"I have no clue." I tell him, honestly, before following after them, my palm colliding with the backs of their heads.

"Ow!" Liam flinches as I get infront of them.

"The fuck are you dumbasses doing here?" I ask in frustration.

"That's funny because I was gonna ask you the same thing." Liam tells me, trying to deter the attention back on to me.

"We were studying." I cross my arms.

"Because the enemy affectionately moving your hair from your face while ever so obviously wanted to shove his tongue down your throat, is studying." Stiles adds in.

"I just met him today." I argue, completely confused. "And quit calling him the 'enemy'."

"Don't have to know someone to roll around naked in the woods with them, especially when they're using you to get to your Alpha." He points at me and Liam wrinkles his nose in disgust.

"I don't have an Alpha, and even if I were a supernatural being, Scott still wouldn't be my alpha because his pack has one too many paranoid crackheads."

"And we should trust the girl who's judgement is so great that's it's gotten her an abusive jail bir—" Stiles stops speaking, his eyes caught on something above us.

Liam and I look in the same direction as him, seeing Theo standing on a tree branch.

"What're you guys doing?" He asks them with a little smile that seems caught off guard.

He takes one step closer to us and Liam's snatching me back behind him, protectively, growling at Theo.

Theo just puts his hands up in surrender, still smiling, motioning his finger to Liam.

"Why do I get the feeling this kid's tougher than he looks?" He asks Stiles.

"Only when we let him off his leash." He replies to him.

"Stiles, we were in Little League together." Theo states, dropping his hands, his tone lacing with seriousness. "Why're you so suspicious of me?" He asks Stiles and I feel guilt begin to grow in the back of my mind.

Stiles just blinks, before hesitantly pulling out the speeding ticket and transfer form baring signatures that don't quite match.

"Because of these." He tells him, handing them over.

Theo unfolds them with slightly furrowed brows.

"One's a speeding ticket signed by your dad eight years ago, and one's a signature on a transfer form for Beacon High. They're different." He adds.

"Hmm." Theo lets out, looking between the two. "Yeah, they look a little different." He seems completely confused and I don't really blame him.

"No, they're totally different signed by two different people." Stiles shoots suddenly.

"Stiles." I scold, elbowing him a little.

He just gives me a fed up look.

"So, my dad's not my dad? Like, he's an imposter." Theo asks, the corners of his mouth upturned in amusement.

"Something like that." Stiles confirms, and Theo just folds the papers back up.

"Who do you think I am?" He asks next, beginning to get tired of this.

"I don't know yet." Stiles replies.

"You want me to give you a DNA sample or something?"

"No, I don't have anything from the fourth grade to match it to."

The expression on Theo's face shows obvious hurt, his eyes lowering for a moment before he starts speaking again.

"You know, Stiles, I came back here for Scott. But I also came back for you." Theo tells him. "Someone like you. Someone who's willing to walk into the woods in the middle of the night to protect his friends. I don't have anyone like that. Scott does." He points out, looking at me and Liam. "You all do." More guilt cripples my mind. "I know I'm in the right place. I know I'm meant to be here." He states, looking Stiles directly in the eye. "I'm meant to be apart of this pack."

It's a bold statement that has Stiles and Liam's attention, and renders them speechless. They know he won't stop until he's seen as another member of the pack, by Scott.

"Let's go." Liam tells Stiles, gently holding at my wrist to lead me away but I stop.

"I gotta go back with him to get my things." I tell my brother, and he growls lowly, his eyes flashing yellow at Theo. "I'm done asking for permission. I'm going. He'll drop me back off at home."

"Santana—" Liam starts as I walk away with Theo.

"No!" I bark, stepping closer to my brother as venom contaminates my words. "No! You have embarrassed and humiliated me enough tonight." I laugh out, though the humor isn' there. "I feel so sorry for you." I look to Stiles. "You can't even enjoy and spend time with the good people in your life because you're too busy becoming obsessed and witch hunting the ones you think are bad." I scold him, causing him to just keep looking down.

"Hey, it's okay." Theo assures me softly, pulling at my hand. "Let's just go get your stuff so I can get you home. It's fine. I'm fine." He tugs me in the direction he parked in and I give my brother and Stiles one last glare before following Theo.

"I'm sorry they're being like this." I tell him when we get in the car.

"They're just protecting their friends." He defends them and I breathe out, glancing at my phone to see there's three missed calls from the station.

Theo looks over and sees it, side eying me for a split second.

"So, you guys are over?" He asks and I shake my head a little, my throat getting lump in it while tears make their way to my eyes.

"I guess so." I mumble, and we ride in the silence the rest of the way to his house.


End file.
